True and Candid
Compositions: The Lives and Writings of Antebellum Students in North
Carolinawritten byLindemann, Erika Jones and Patterson Family Papers (#578),
Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Letter from Rufus L. Patterson to Samuel F.
Patterson, April 18, 1849Patterson, Rufus Lenoir, 1830-1879 3 pages, 3 page images1849Southern Historical Collection, University of North
Carolina at Chapel HillCall number 578 (Southern Historical
Collection , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

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Your last letter was received on sunday, and as it was the first
one in two weeks, I read it with much pleasure. I was very glad to learn that
all our friends were recovering again, and I hope that there will be no new
cases among them for some time to come. I think that our family have had at
least their proportion of sickness for the last year or two. Since I last wrote
my own health has been much better, and I hope will soon be entirely recovered.

On saturday last, for the first time since I came here, we had a
grand Pic-Nic party. The Ladies had been preparing for it, for some two or
three weeks, and had everything arranged. It was intended to be in honour of Miss
Betty
Bryan, daughter
Hon.
John H. Bryan, who has been staying with Miss
Annie
Swain for several weeks; but on thefriday night before,
tha Miss
Dortch, asi a
sister of one of our students, accompanied by her brother, arrived in the
stage, & as she is very pretty, accomplished, &c and was more of a
stranger than Miss
Bryan,
most of the honour of the Pic-Nic fell to her. But if it will not tire you, I
will endeavour to give you some idea, how a
Pic-Nic party is conducted on
C. Hill.
The day was a very beautiful one, and about 9 o'clock all the vehicles
of which the village could boast were
paraded in front of Miss
Nancy's, and after being
well almost filled with provisions,
fishing rods, &c the whole party including myself, mounted to our
respective seats, and preceeded by our fine College Band marched out of town.
We found the roads to be in excellent spirits order, and as had
beenas was appointed, we drove out to
Mill, some five miles off, belonging to a
Mrs.
Patterson.2 When
we reached there, all commenced fishing, but finding but little sport in
practising the "angling art", we adjourned to the Mill-House, where a
dance was got up, and continued until [] we received the order from Miss
Nancy to come to dinner. The table was spread under
some large trees under by the bank of
the creek, and spread with "eatables," as only Miss
Nancy knows how to do so. The exercise we had taken
gave us fine appetites, and we did full justice to the good things set before
us. After the meal was over, the dance was resumed, and continued until the sun
warned us to wend our way homeward. The ride back was delightful, and on
reaching the confines of the village, a procession was again formed, and after
driving to upper end of town, came back to Miss
Nancy's, where an excellent supper was prepared for
the party. After giving the Ladies time to rest from the fatigues of the day,
the dance was again taken up, and only ended when
it was announced that the sabbath was drawing near. The day, upon the whole,
was a very pleasant one, and as such things are rather unusual here, will no
doubt be long remembered by both old and young.

The weather for the last few days has been exceedingly unpleasant,
and on monday morning we had a very heavy frost, which has destroyed most of
the fruit around here, and also, most of the leaves on the trees. Our Campus,
which a few days ago bore quite a cheerful and spring-like aspect, now looks
gloomy and sad from this premature blight. I fear very much that you also have
been visited with a like misfortune, and that your expectations of having a
large quantity of fruit, will be disappointed.

I wrote to Mother some two weeks since, requesting her to
tell ask
you to send me $100, but I suppose the letter has been missent. If it is
convenent, I wish you to send me the amount $100.00
as soon very soon, as I am needing money
at present.

I have not yet learned from you, whether you intend going westward
this summer or not. If you have given out that trip, I should like to know
whether you will come to Commencement or not, &c.; Give my best love to
Mother, and tell her I intend writing to her next week.
Believe me to be, as ever,

Your affectionate Son,Rufus.

1. Jones-Patterson Papers, SHC. The letter contains no address but
has been folded into the customary packet.

2.
Patterson's mill was located at the crossing of
New Hope
Creek and the road to present-day
Durham.